Asthma Home A-Z Health Information Health Library A-Z Asthma Overview Asthma (also known as bronchial asthma) is a chronic respiratory condition which affects both children and adults, and is the most common chronic disease among children. Causes and Risk Factors Asthma triggers. Author credits: 7mike5000 on Wikimedia CommonsAsthma has multiple causes, and based on the causes, it can broadly be divided into two categories:Allergic: Allergens (e.g., moulds, pollen, pet dander, dust mites) and irritants (e.g., smoke, strong odour, cold air) are responsible for the asthma attack.Non-allergic: Outside factors, such as exercise, stress, illness and weather cause an asthma flare-up.Importantly, asthma can also be genetic. Symptoms Three things can happen during an asthma flare-up (also known as an asthma attack or exacerbation):Bronchospasm- The muscles around the airways tighten, making them narrow. This results in difficulty in air flow through the airways.Inflammation- The lining of the airways swells up, and swollen airways make air flow (to and from the lungs) difficult.Mucus production- During an asthma flare-up, the body creates more mucus, which clogs the airways.All these result in the production of a wheezing sound when one tries to breathe. Diagnosis The diagnosis of asthma is based on a combination of symptoms, physical examination findings and lung function tests (especially spirometry). The culprit allergens are identified using an allergy test. Treatment Asthma care focuses on controlling symptoms and preventing exacerbations, which involves: Trigger Avoidance: Identifying and avoiding triggers that worsen asthma symptoms, such as allergens or irritants.Medications: Inhalers are the mainstay of asthma treatment, including quick-relief medications (short-acting beta-agonists) to relieve acute symptoms and long-term medications (inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta-agonists) to reduce inflammation and prevent symptoms. Biologic therapies: If routine medicines are ineffective, an add-on controller therapy called biologics might be an option for some patients with severe asthma. Biologics work by disrupting cells or blocking specific molecules that trigger inflammation. Monitoring: Regular monitoring of lung function is essential using peak flow metres or spirometry to assess asthma control.